Canadian soccer fans stood in chilly pre-dawn lineups, painted their faces and ultimately wound up on a wild ride on Sunday as they packed bars to take in a particularly tense World Cup final.
But it was Team Argentina鈥檚 fans who ultimately got to celebrate after the squad headed by superstar Lionel Messi secured the win in penalty shots.
At Cafe Diplomatico in Toronto鈥檚 Little Italy neighbourhood, fans in a packed tent screamed and jumped up when Argentina took the title, hugging each other and waving flags. Music filled the tent and fans danced in celebration, with many screaming Messi鈥檚 name.
鈥淭hat is a perfect representation of what this beautiful game is,鈥� Argentina fan Ian Saya said as he celebrated the win.
鈥淚t makes you smile, it makes you cry, it makes you laugh, it makes you lose your voice.鈥�
Argentina鈥檚 victory in soccer鈥檚 marquee matchup was particularly hard-fought.
Jubilant Argentina fans, buoyed by their team鈥檚 two goals in the first half of regulation play, watched in chagrin as defending World Cup champion France struck back to tie the match 2-2 in the second half.
After one goal by each side in extra time, Argentina ultimately won in a penalty shootout.
Saya, who was front and centre watching the game wearing blue-and-white face paint, said he experienced many emotions during the game鈥檚 final half-hour.
Longtime Argentina fans Shehzad Merali and Harneet Brar said just before the second half that a World Cup win would secure an important career milestone for Messi, 35, who had never won a World Cup before and scored twice on Sunday.
After the game, Merali said the win cements Messi鈥檚 legacy.
鈥淓veryone was saying that he鈥檚 not the greatest of all time because he never won the World Cup,鈥� said Merali.
鈥淲hat are they going to say now?鈥�
Camila Schiappacasse, who arrived in Canada two weeks ago from Argentina, was waiting outside the bar as the game began. She said she cried at Messi鈥檚 first goal and was hopeful about the final results.
Afterward, with an Argentina flag wrapped around her shoulders, she described the game as 鈥渋ntense.鈥�
鈥淚n Argentina, you suffer to win,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 win easily.鈥�
The largely pro-France crowd at bar L鈥檅arouf in downtown Montreal, on the other hand, was left disappointed.
Some fans had tears in their eyes as they filed out of the venue.
鈥淗onestly, I鈥檓 so sad,鈥� said Alexis Krass of France鈥檚 loss.
鈥淢y heart hurts. The last 15 minutes I had hope. But it was not meant to be.鈥�
France supporters 鈥� subdued after their side was blanked in the first half 鈥� expressed optimism the team could bounce back.
That optimism appeared to pay off in the second half of regulation play when France scored twice in quick succession. Assembled fans exploded in cheers and some even wept when the team pulled even.
鈥淭his is so incredible! We are going to win,鈥� predicted Thibault Herbert.
But it was not to be. The extra time saw France once again meet Argentina goal for goal until the decisive penalty shots.
Kylian Mbapp茅 scored a hat trick for France and was ultimately named the top scorer at the tournament in Qatar, but wounded up being consoled on the field by French President Emmanuel Macron after the final.
鈥� With files from Marisela Amador in Montreal and The Associated Press
Rosa Saba, The Canadian Press
